Why Narcissists Need You to Doubt Yourself

From childhood teasing to adult put-downs, it’s no fun to be on the receiving end of an insulting comment. Try as you might to ignore the insult, part of it may stick, and you worry that there truly is something truly “wrong” with you—that you really are “stupid,” “ugly,” or a “jerk.”

You might assume that those who insult you aren’t intentionally trying to make you feel bad. You might imagine that they think they’re being funny, or believe they’re showing affection, being familiar enough to prod you with a few well-placed barbs. Insults may stem from an inadvertent snub, such as sending you an email saying you weren’t selected for something you felt you deserved—a restaurant manager, say, implies that you’re not high enough on the “A” list to merit a reservation at the height of the dinner rush.

Some insults bounce off your skin, but others can stick with you for decades. You may never forget the time your father-in-law commented negatively about your earning potential, even though years later, you comfortably contribute to the household income.

Insults can also tap into your defensive vein, sometimes to ill effect. You may decide you’re going to prove your father-in-law wrong by loudly announcing your latest pay raise at every possible occasion. This causes others—who have likely forgotten about that original insult—to perceive you as boastful and arrogant.

Fortunately, most people don’t spend their lives shooting off zingers aimed at hurting others’ feelings. The tendency to make disparaging comments seems to be linked to the personality trait of narcissism. For example:

People high on narcissistic tendencies see themselves as being more important than others and therefore deserving of better treatment, a quality called narcissistic entitlement.

These individuals spend excessive amounts of time polishing up their appearance, and believe themselves to be the center of the universe, an extreme form of egocentrism.

The belief that they’re better than everyone forms the core of narcissistic grandiosity, and these people often take advantage of others.

They lack empathy, so they don’t realize the impact that their remarks or behaviors have on their targets.

They pronounce judgments on people they perceive as inferior—which is almost everyone.